- Members of “Star Wars” Imperial costuming club come out to support children’s
literacy on Sunday, December 15 at the Peoria Barnes & Noble Booksellers -

Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive
The Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive is an annual event that raises books for children here in the
Central Illinois community. Barnes & Noble customers simply purchase their favorite children’s books
and then donate them back to the Book Drive. Barnes & Noble then donates them to a community partner
that distributes the books locally to children in need. This year’s recipient is the “Books for Kids”
program at WTVP-Public Media. The Public Television station works with a variety of agencies
including The Salvation Army, Children’s Home, Common Place, Crittenton Center, Friendship House,
Neighborhood House, Taft Homes, and Valeska Hinton. This year, special attention is being given to
relief efforts in Washington, Pekin and East Peoria.

The Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive runs through December 31, 2013. More information
about the Midwest Garrison can be found online at http://www.midwestgarrison.com.

Peoria, IL: Can a Storm Trooper gift wrap? Do intergalactic
bounty hunters encourage kids to read? Well on Sunday, December 15th we found out when members of
The Midwest Garrison Star Wars Imperial costuming club descend upon the Peoria Barnes & Noble
Booksellers to support the Holiday Book Drive.

The Midwest Garrison is the Illinois Chapter of the 501st Legion, a Star Wars Imperial
costuming club dedicated to movie-quality costumes of the “villains” of the Star Wars universe.
Members in full regalia visited the Barnes & Noble store in Peoria’s Glen Hollow Shopping Center
on Sunday, December 15th. Fans young and old brought their cameras and met these incredibly-costumed
baddies. There was no charge to see the characters, but the group encouraged donations to the Holiday
Book Drive on their behalf. All money raised at their gift wrapping table was used to buy more books
for the Holiday Book Drive.

WTVP thanks all the members of the 501st Legion, Rebel Legion, and Mando Mercs costume
clubs who braved the snow and ice to support the Holiday Book Drive. You guys are GREAT!

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WTVP-Public Media for Central Illinois
WTVP-Public Media, Central Illinois’ PBS station, has been serving the community since 1971 through
broadcast, services and educational outreach. Now, WTVP also provides quality educational content
to the world at www.wtvp.org, Facebook (facebook.com/wtvp.org) and Twitter (@WTVP).